


A Man of Many Talents

by mismatched_ideas



Series: It's Easier With You [15]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Cooking, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, New York AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 07:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11353014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mismatched_ideas/pseuds/mismatched_ideas
Summary: Viktor is a man of many talents but there are still some things he isn't the best at.





	A Man of Many Talents

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alison](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alison/gifts), [Caroline](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caroline/gifts).



> Warning: Because this happens before SLDC Yuri P. will be referred to with he/him/his.

It quickly became clear to Yuuri that Viktor had no idea how to cook. Yuuri wanted to say he was exaggerating but, unfortunetly, that didn’t seem to be the case.

When he moved in with Viktor in Viktor’s posh St. Petersburg apartment Yuuri hadn’t minded eating out and ordering in every day. He was always so tired thanks to moving and also jetlag. Also Yuuri had been doing some extra work with Lilia, something that was only possible through quite a bit of begging on his part, so his muscles were constantly tired and sore. 

But after a few weeks, and as he stopped assuming Viktor was just tired too, Yuuri noticed that Viktor almost never touched his kitchen. He used the refrigerator and occasionally the microwave. Sometimes he used the oven to reheat meals and Yuuri had seen Viktor boil water for tea. 

At the very least he knew how to boil water. 

Maybe Yuuri wasn’t being fair. He was pretty sure Viktor could make scrambled eggs, he’d seen him do it once, and he could cook a chicken breast. It was always try and under seasoned, but it was food. 

Yuuri took over most of the cooking once he settled in. It wasn’t a chore to him, he loved cooking, but when ever he couldn’t Viktor went right back to ordering food. 

Finally, after almost a month an a half in St. Petersburg Yuuri decided to confront this unspoken oddity.

“Viktor?” They were sitting on opposite ends of Viktor’s couch, their legs tangled together.

“Hmm?” Viktor looked up from his book. 

“Can you cook?”

Viktor bit his lip, trying to decide what to say. He knew Yuuri would realize he didn’t cook much but he’d been hoping to come up with a good explanation before he asked.

“No.” Viktor finally admitted. “Not really. Even though I lived alone for a long time at first it was in dorms, so there was food made for me, and then I didn’t have the time to learn. I had plenty of money so ordering out was fine. I just… nobody ever taught me how to cook.”

“Viktor.” Yuuri crawled over to he was laying on his fiancé’s chest, looking up at Viktor with sparkling eyes. “Why didn’t you ask me to help you?”

“It’s embarrassing!” Viktor pouted, looking away. “I’m 27 and can barely use an oven.”

“You can make chicken.” Yuuri supplied, smiling as he nuzzled his face into Viktor’s neck. “And eggs.”

“You know I don’t make those well.” Viktor giggled as Yuuri kissed his neck lightly. “Hey, that tickles. Yuuri, that’s not fair.”

Yuuri laughed, kissing Viktor’s neck harder so that his giggles turned into sighs. 

Cooking lessons could wait.

\---

“Okay, first check what you need.” Yuuri commanded from his perch at the island bar. 

“Okay.” Viktor stared intently at the recipe, worried he was going to mess something up. He wasn’t completely used to being this out of his element. 

“Love, you’re way more tense than you need to be. You’ll do fine. Now what do you need.”

“Flour.” Viktor pointed at the ingredients on the counter as he listed them. “Baking powder, salt, and white sugar.” He stared at the ingredients. “Why are there three different sugars?” 

“You want granulated sugar.” Yuuri offered, “It’s the same stuff you put in your coffee and tea.” Viktor nodded, pointing at the correct bag and smiling when Yuuri nodded.

“Milk, egg, and butter.” Viktor smiled, content with himself. Yuuri smile back, momentarily distracted by how cute his fiancé was some, no most, of the time.

“Okay, now you follow the instructions. They’re all written out.” 

“Okay.” Viktor clenched his fists, determined excitement on his face. “Let’s go!”

They’d asked all their friends for easy recipes and had settled on the suggestion of Pancakes from Leo. He’d explained they’re easy to make and that he learned to cook them when he was seven or eight. He’d sent them a basic recipe and instructions to call him if anything went wrong. Not that Yuuri would need the help given he’d made pancakes before.

Yuuri watched him closely as he mixed together the dry ingredient. Luckily he stopped Viktor from adding baking soda instead of baking powder by accident. He couldn’t exactly make sure he was measuring everything correctly, but he kept an eye on the approximate amounts. 

When he reached the liquid ingredients Yuuri saw him pause, staring intently at the stick of butter in his hand.

“Turn it over.” Yuuri instructed. “See how it has marks for the different measurements?”

“Oh!” Viktor smiled, looking surprised. Had he never looked at a stick of butter before? Though, now that Yuuri thought about it, he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Viktor put butter on any of his food. “Do I just cut it?”

“Yep.” Yuuri couldn’t help but smile. 

Yuuri felt like the things about Viktor that were so endearing was this kind of thing. It was the things he couldn’t do or wasn’t good at. It was the things he didn’t like and the things he tried really hard at even though he was terrible. In the span of two months Yuuri had watched Viktor cycle through three different hobbies. He threw his all into each one then let them float way. Currently he seemed to be on an instrument kick. For three weeks Viktor had tried to learn how to play the flute but once he got to decent quality, at least for a beginner, he moved onto the next thing. Then he tried the clarinet for three more weeks. It had been two weeks since he started learning piano on the keyboard he bought suddenly. Yuuri never got the feeling that his fiancé was giving up on these hobbies, instead he seemed to lose interest. It was like his mind was constantly racing and needed something new to occupy himself at every moment.

Yuuri knew this cooking thing would probably last a couple of weeks but hopefully in that time Viktor would be able to pick up enough to cook a meal or two himself. 

After the butter Viktor didn’t need any more help, except for asking what number the stove should be on for medium heat and Yuuri leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes, finding solace in the smell of pancakes. He remember early mornings with Phichit in Detroit when they’d make pancakes and make a mess. Somehow one of them would end up with flour all over them. Usually it was Yuuri and usually it was because Phichit would throw flour at him. They wasted so much flour that way but it was worth it.

The smell of burning and a yelp of concern brought Yuuri back to the present where Viktor’s first pancake was very much burning. Yuuri hopped up and came to stand next to his fiancé.

“You left it on too long.” Yuuri took the spatula from Viktor and flipped the pancake. It was pretty badly burned, but that was Yuuri’s fault for not paying attention. “I guess the pan was hotter than we thought. I’ll cook the other side of this and you watch.”

Viktor studied Yuuri’s hands while he waited to pull the pancake off. When he did, one side badly burned, Viktor nodded.

“Okay, I can do this.”

Yuuri put an arm around Viktor’s waist, pressing a kiss into his cheek. “I know you can.”

\---

Viktor stared intently at Yuuri, waiting for him to take his first bite. He looked so nervous, like somehow he’d been able to mess up the recipe even under Yuuri’s watchful eye.

Yuuri put a forkful into his mouth and smile. “They’re great.”

“Really?” Viktor asked, almost disbelieving. 

“Really.”

“And you’re not just trying to spare my feelings?”

“Of course not.” Yuuri chuckled, “If you don’t believe me then have some yourself.”

“Of course I believe you.” Viktor smiled but did start to eat his.

Once the two were done Yuuri stood, “Guess we need to clean up.”

“Okay, I’ll start doing the dishes.” Viktor smiled at Yuuri, finding that he loved how it felt to cook with his fiancé. Maybe they could cook more meals together now. Viktor had not been confident enough to offer help when Yuuri’s cooked dinner, his lack of cooking ability was a bit of a soft spot for him. Now he thought that cooking with Yuuri might be his favorite thing to do. 

Yuuri began to put ingredients away, only pausing when he came to the flour. A smile spread on his face.

“Hey Viktor.”

“Yes?” Viktor turned, drying his hands with a towel, and was met with a cloud of flour. “Yuuri!” 

Yuuri’s laugh rang through the apartment and with a smile Viktor made a grab for the flour. 

“Oh you’re on.”

By the time the two men had collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter, their bodies tangled lazily together, the kitchen was a mess. 

The sound of the door opening caught their attention, a loud voice calling into the apartment.

“You guys better be dressed!”

“Yurio!” Yuuri exclaimed. “Did you just get back?”

“Yah, dropped my bags off first–” The young skater appeared around the corner, his clothes the usual combination of leopard print and cats. “What the hell happened here? Is this some weird new thing you’re trying?” He paused, Yuuri and Viktor unable to stop from giggling. “Never mind, don’t answer that.”

Yuuri and Viktor shared a look, a mischievous smile spreading onto their faces. For a moment Yurio just looked at the two in confusion but, too late, he realized their plan.

“Don’t you dare–” Flour covered his entire front, leaving the 15 year old sputtering. He’d had his mouth open and now it was full of flour. Even as he cursed, Yurio was smiling. “You two are the worst.”

“Aww, come here.” Viktor pulled Yurio into a hug, purposefully getting flour onto his back before he feel into another fit of giggles. Yuuri was still on the floor, laughing way too hard at this in Yurio’s opinion. 

“The worst.” He repeated, trying to force the smile of his face. He’d missed these two, not that he’d even admit it. 

\---

It took hours to clear the kitchen but Yuuri thought it was well worth it. Even as they cleaned, they were together, they were side by side, and that meant the world to Yuuri.

He pecked a small kiss onto Viktor’s nose, surprising the other man.

“Yuuri?”

“I just wanted to say I love you.”

At this, Viktor smiled. “I love you too.”


End file.
